- San Diego
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- Travel Itineraries
Make the most of your trip to sunny San Diego, California with these local-approved itineraries for families, restaurant hounds, and sun worshippers.
By
Mary Beth Abate
Skip Ahead:Don’t Leave Until|Restaurant Hound Itinerary|Family-Friendly Itinerary|Sun Worshipper Itinerary|Where to Stay|Know Before You Go
Hippie beach vibes, a glittering downtown restaurant scene—San Diego is called America’s Finest City with good reason. It boasts small town charm with big city perks. “We have 70 miles of laid-back, sunny coastline, a bustling downtown Gaslamp Quarter, and distinct neighborhoods, each with their own personality,” says Julie co*ker, CEO of San Diego Tourism Authority. “We’re home to world-class arts and culture, famous attractions, pristine nature and an incredible culinary scene, featuring local, fresh ingredients, Cali-Baja inspired cuisine and Michelin recognized restaurants, including the only three-star eatery in Southern California.”
As the eighth largest city in the US, and one of the country’s top vacation destinations, San Diego draws more than 30 million visitors every year. You could spend several vacations just experiencing the most popular attractions. At Balboa Park alone, it’s easy to spend a day, if not a weekend, getting lost in its 1,200 acres of gardens, museums, attractions, and restaurants, not to mention the world famous San Diego Zoo.
So how do you decide which sights to see and which to skip? As a first time visitor “you can’t go wrong with beaches, tacos, sunsets, but I would also recommend Balboa Park, an evening in Little Italy,” advises co*ker. Seasoned travelers, who’ve already done (or aren't interested in) the major tourist attractions, might want to dig into the local scene and get a feel for what really makes the city tick. “I would say experience San Diego on foot,” continues co*ker. “I live in Little Italy and am constantly amazed by how beautiful it is to stroll around San Diego, whether along the beach, the bay or any neighborhood of your choosing.”
In order to maximize your precious vacation time and minimize the decision making process, we’ve gathered some of San Diego’s best attractions into curated itineraries aimed at food focused travelers, families, and beach aficionados, while avoiding the long lines and frustration of the most popular destinations. Here are our favorite things to do in San Diego, no matter what your travel style looks like.
Don’t leave San Diego until you...
See: A live performance at the Balboa Theater, a former vaudeville and movie theater currently celebrating its 100th anniversary. It was refurbished and reopened as a performing arts center in 2008 and is a popular venue for comedians like Kathy Griffin, Eric Idle and David Cross, Broadway musical touring companies, and hosts Silent Movies Mondays, featuring classic silent films from the 1920s, brought to life with the accompaniment of the theater’s historic Wonder Morton organ.
Touch: Sea stars, sea anemones, hermit crabs, sea cucumbers, lobsters, and abalone. The Preuss Tide Pool Plaza at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps is a hands-on tide pool habitat that doesn’t hinge on waiting for low tide to enjoy. The aquarium also offers guided tide pool adventures with trained naturalists on the beaches below for an in-depth look at the creatures that inhabit these natural wonders.
Smell: Cinnamon buns, scones and croissants, fresh out of the oven at Wayfarer Bread in Bird Rock. Order the cult favorite strawberry pistachio croissant and eat it while you take a stroll through the tiny hamlet of Bird Rock.
Hear: Music from The Rady Shell. San Diego’s beautiful outdoor bandshell on the edge of San Diego Bay is home to the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, as well as a roster of performers such as John Legend, Norah Jones and the Psychedelic Furs throughout the year. Free lawn seats are available for most concerts, but The Shell’s open location on the Embarcadero North makes it easy to hear the music from nearly anywhere nearby, including the boats bobbing on the water nearby.
Taste: Fish tacos at Mitch’s Seafood. A beloved rite of passage for locals, Mitch’s uses only fish they catch themselves or get from their trusted purveyors. Snag an outside seat overlooking the harbor and try to spot the resident sea lion swimming lazily between the fishing boats while you munch.
Things to do in San Diego for the restaurant hound
San Diego may be most famous for its unmatched fish tacos and craft beer scene, but there’s so much more to this beach town’s culinary scene than fast-casual dining. Whether you seek fresher than fresh sushi, spectacular oceanfront dining, charming neighborhood bistros, or quiet retreats to relax over coffee, San Diego's restaurants can deliver everything from mouth-tingling hot pots in the Convoy District and Michelin-starred tasting menus downtown to Mexican home style comfort food in Barrio Logan and tricked out avocado toast and kombucha in the hipster haven of North Park.
9 am - Linger over brunch at Morning Glory.
Come for the splashy decor, stay for the stacked menu of fancified brunch fare at Morning Glory. It’s lauded as a bucket list destination for the Instagram crowd, but the menu more than lives up to the eye popping visuals. Must-tries include poofy souffle pancakes and Morning Glory ginger fried rice, along with items like breakfast dim sum (served until noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only) and breakfast carbonara, a tangle of al dente bucatini topped with crispy pork belly, a soft poached egg, and a drizzle of Calabrian chili oil. And since ordering hard liquor at 9 a.m. is perfectly okay if we call it brunch, we suggest waking up with the Socialist Republic of Coffee co*cktail, a boozy riff on Vietnamese coffee or soothing your hangover with a little hair of the dog, i.e., a Morning Wood Old Fashioned.
11 am - Brave the line at Las Cuatro Milpas.
Way back in 1933, Petra and Nati Estudillo opened Las Cuatro Milpas in Barrio Logan, and there’s been a long line outside their door ever since—but don’t worry, they’ve perfected the art of keeping it moving. The menu is simple; chicken and pork tacos (rolled or regular style), tamales, burritos and chorizo con huevos, and the atmosphere is definitely rustic, but when you’re craving authentic Mexican comfort food, this is the place to hit. Whatever you do, don’t wait too long to get in the queue—they close at 3 p.m. or when the food runs out, whichever comes first. Cash only, closed Sundays.
2 pm - Cool down with ice cream from An’s Dry Cleaning.
No, they can’t help you with your laundry, but An’s Dry Cleaning in North Park will satisfy your cravings for a cool gelato treat that’s not your typical scoop shop offering. Whimsical names and delectable combos include Tongue Pop, fresh mango and raspberry sorbet with a “pop” of mint; Cypress, an intense chocolate that’s like eating a gelato brownie, or Burlap packs Reeses Pieces into a vegan option made of coconut milk, peanut butter, and chocolate bits.
5:30 pm - Immerse yourself in a tasting menu Kinme omakase.
Kinme Omakase is a true passion project from Shihomi Borillo and executive sushi chef Nao Ichimura of Azuki Sushi. Drawing from the Kaiseki sequence to create a multi-course experience that changes seasonally, the tasting menu focuses close attention to detail to execute a course-by-course cultural experience. Ichimura meticulously prepares the day’s catch from hand-selected fish, while chef de cuisine Kevin Alvarado showcases his classic French training and knowledge of San Diego’s bounty of produce to express seasonal flavors.
10 pm - Grab late night eats at Beginner’s Diner.
After a long day of eating and drinking, nothing hits quite like sliding into the booth at an all night diner to cap off the experience. Beginners Diner in The Lafayette Hotel gives you a retro diner experience set in a gleaming vintage dining car. Chef Ted Smith’s menu has upscale classics like duck confit hash with potatoes and peppers or country pâté with eggs, plus comfort food such as wagyu meatloaf, chicken schnitzel, pot roast, sandwiches, and small plates. Pair it with a thick, creamy milkshake that comes in regular and boozy versions, and finish with a slice of tangy lemon meringue pie. The cherry on top? Beginners Diner is open 24 hours a day.
Things to do for the kid-toting family
San Diego is a great place to vacation with children, with a plethora of kid-focused attractions: world-class zoos, parks, aquariums and sanctuaries for little animal lovers, museums that explore art, science, maritime history, and pop culture. (At some point a trip to a theme park—and maybe a tantrum—will be inevitable.)
9 am - Flip for pancakes at Flap Your Jacks.
Flap Your Jacks lets your kids play with pancake batter instead of a coloring book.They’ll love making their own by squeezing different flavored batters onto the tabletop griddle, then filling them with all sorts of yummy mix-ins, toppings and syrups. Aside from pancake artistry, there’s a solid menu of bennies, chilaquiles, scrambles and The Cube, a hefty cube of chocolate-hazelnut ganache stuffed brioche French toast, stuffed with, fresh banana slices, hazelnut crumble, whipped cream, and vanilla-infused syrup.
11 am - Visit historic Belmont Park.
Belmont Park amusem*nt park has been a fixture in Mission Beach for nearly a century, providing thrills and adventures for all kids of ages just steps from the Pacific Ocean. The Giant Dipper is the star attraction, with drops and turns that reach 48 miles and hour, plus nearly a dozen other electrifying rides from the upside down sky view on the Beach Blaster and jaw-dropping Zero Gravity to low-key Wave Jumper and Tilt-a-Whirl designed for the little ones. Other activities include bumper cars, escape rooms, mini golf and laser tag. When the kids get hangry, there’s a trio of sit down spots, Cannonball, Beach House and Draft, or grab something quick from El Jefe’s street tacos, Baked and Blended donuts and milkshakes, or Pizza Port.
2 pm - Play with penguins at the Birch Aquarium.
Come face to face with a Giant Pacific Octopus, a rescued Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Leopard Sharks and other kid-pleasing marine animals at Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Over 60 fish and invertebrate habitats are showcased, with plenty of hand-on activities as well. The newest exhibit, Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins, features the petite birds, which are native to New Zealand, waddling, swimming and socializing in their 2,900-square-foot habitat, which features cozy burrows, a sandy beach and an 18,000-gallon pool. Check the online daily schedule for feeding times, kelp forest dives and fun lessons about some of the aquarium's most popular animals.
4 pm - Take a break at Waterfront Park.
One of San Diego’s most playful destinations is Waterfront Park, a 12-acre, family-friendly spot that’s adjoining San Diego’s County Administration Center. Stretch out on the luxurious green lawns or picnic grounds while the kids romp on jungle gyms, slides, swings and seesaws or splash in the spectacular 830-foot-long fountain that shoots jets of water 14 feet into the air.
6 pm - Chomp some cute buns at Harumama.
Harumama Noodles & Buns has sushi rolls, karaage bites, bao, crispy wontons and lots of other kid-friendly finger foods, but nothing tops its adorable animal-shaped buns filled with pulled pork, ground BBQ beef, chicken and mozzarella, or sweet ube, strawberries and cream or nutella. There’s plenty of hearty dishes as well like ramen, noodle bowls, poke bowls, skillets and bulgogi fries as well. Harumama has several locations across San Diego County, each with a slightly different menu.
Things to do for the sun worshippers
“Going to the beach” might mean catching the perfect wave, building sandcastles with the kids, or sharing a spectacular sunset, and you’ll be able to find the perfect sunny day adventure somewhere along San Diego’s 70 miles of coastline. Our lives revolve around the water—surf reports pepper our conversations and long boards peek out from garages or bob on the heads of the hardcore heading out for dawn patrol. Even our culinary landscape is dominated by our proximity to the ocean, whether it's Mariscos served from a food truck in a parking lot or our devotion to finding the best fish taco.
8 am - Grab sweet and savory pastries at Gordy’s bakery.
Gordy Haskett’s signature pastry is The Plonk, a big raggedy-topped muffin chock full of oats, dried fruit, nuts and warm spices that’s a meal in itself and comes in five varieties. If your preference is on the savory side, he’s got that covered too, with sausage rolls, empanadas, meat pies and cupcake sized quiches nestled in a fluted puff pastry. Pick up a few extras for beach snacking without the hassle of utensils.
9 am - Lounge at Moonlight State Beach.
Moonlight State Beach was a popular destination for midnight picnicking back in the early 1900s, and it’s still one of the all-around best beaches in San Diego for a family-friendly excursion, especially if you have a big group with varied interests. The wide beach slopes gently into the water, with plenty of shallow splashing areas for your tiny beachgoers. There’s a large, marked off swimming-only area with year-round lifeguards and amenities like ADA accessibility, a kiddie playground, fire rings, picnic tables, volleyball and tennis courts, a snack bar, and a large grassy area for spreading out.
12 pm - Explore the sea caves of La Jolla.
La Jolla Caves, a series of seven sea caverns nestled between La Jolla Shores Beach and La Jolla Cove, was created by thousands of years of pounding surf and storms along the adjacent cliffs. Only one, Sunny Jim Sea Cave, is accessible from the shore, via The Cave Store’s tour through a tunnel and down a 145-step wooden staircase. If you want to see all seven caves, your best bet is to book a tour through a kayak rental like La Jolla Sea Cave Kayaks and let them guide your expedition from the sea. Two caves, Clam Cave and Arches Cave, are large enough to enter by kayak, but you can swim into them all, or just relax and enjoy the wildlife—you might see leopard sharks or garibaldi swimming by, or sea lions lazing on the rocks.
3 pm - Sail, water ski or stand-up paddleboard at Mission Bay Park.
Mission Bay Park has 27 miles of shoreline,19 miles of powdery soft sand beaches and eight dedicated areas for swimming, but there’s also fishing, sailing, jet skiing and just about anything else you can do in, on, or around the water. Jet ski, SUP, sailboat and motorboat, boogie and surfboard rentals are readily accessible for adrenaline junkies, and there’s plenty of grassy areas, quiet coves, picnic areas and playgrounds for relaxing. The entire park is surrounded and crisscrossed with nearly 14 miles of walking/biking paths. Mission Bay Park is also home to SeaWorld.
6 pm - Watch the sun go down at South Coast Bar & Grille.
One of the best places to watch the sunset in San Diego is from South Coast Bar & Grille, just steps from the sand, with breathtaking views of swaying palms and a front-and-center view of the OB Pier (which is currently closed due to damage from heavy surf last year). Snag a seat upstairs for the best views, order a margarita, and take your pick from more than a dozen different tacos, including mahi, swordfish, and slipper lobster.
Where to stay
Town and Country Resort ($$)
Although it’s smack dab in the busy commercial hub of Mission Valley, this expansive resort feels like a blissful escape from it all, seamlessly blending mid-century modern design with a Palm Springs aesthetic. This hotel’s sprawling 10,000-square-foot pool complex will keep little ones busy with a four-story twister waterslide, sand volleyball court, and children’s pool adjacent to the main pool. Meanwhile, you can lounge on the plush cabanas and daybeds for some much-needed poolside rest and relaxation. Plus, you'll never go hungry thanks to the indoor-outdoor restaurant ARLO and poolside sports bar Lapper Kitchen + Tap.
Kona Kai San Diego ($$$)
Located at the very tip of Shelter Island, Kona Kai San Diego boasts breathtaking views of either the marina or San Diego Bay from every room. When you check in, grab a s’mores kit from the front desk and make a beeline for the resort’s private beach to toss bean bags, build sandcastles, and cozy up to a bonfire. You’ll have the best of both worlds here, with a family-friendly pool where kiddos can splash to their heart’s content and an adults-only pool where you can down a boozy libation or two, plus upgrades like private cabanas available for rent with loungers, flat-screen TVs, and snacks.
The Lafayette Hotel ($$$)
Once the resort of choice for Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Lana Turner, and other stars of the 1950s, this historic hotel recently underwent a 31-million-dollar metamorphosis into North Park’s see-and-be-seen hotspot. While minimalist decor with beachy touches are the prevailing theme in many of San Diego’s hotels, The Lafayette Hotel’s aesthetic leans more towards if Helen Roper won the lottery and bought a bed and breakfast, but in the best possible way. In addition to gorgeous bars in the lobby and at the pool, the hotel is also home to a chic 24 hour diner, a candlelit Oaxacan restaurant, a bowling alley and an ultra hip jazz club.
Hotel del Coronado ($$$$)
The legendary Hotel del Coronado has hosted famous guests, including royalty, presidents, Hollywood A-listers, and a resident ghost, for over 130 years. Its distinctive Victorian architecture has made it a designated National Historic Landmark, but its enviable location nestled on the beach is what keeps guests returning. Coronado Beach is often ranked among the best in the US, so you’ll definitely want to maximize your time out there, including making a reservation for the hotel’s nightly summer bonfire to enjoy s’mores and dazzling sunset views.
What to know before you go
How to get around
While San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System isn’t as convenient as many large cities, the San Diego Trolley is an economical way to get to many of the most popular destinations. There are three main lines: the green, blue, and orange lines, so you can hop on and see most of the city's main attractions, including the Gaslamp Quarter, Old Town San Diego, Little Italy, Seaport Village and the San Diego Zoo. If you’re visiting the beach communities and destinations further from the downtown area, renting a car or using a rideshare service is your best bet.
When to plan your visit
“San Diego is awesome all year” states Julie co*ker. “Summer is our peak travel season, when visitors flock to our beaches, Comic-Con and Pride, but the other seasons are just as eventful. In the Fall we have amazing food festivals like San Diego Food + Wine and Del Mar Wine + Food, and it’s Kids Free Month, where kids stay, play and eat for free throughout the region. Winter is mild and welcomes gray whale migrations and holiday events like December Nights at Balboa Park, ice skating at the Hotel Del Coronado and the DirectTV Holiday Bowl. And Spring is for sports and music lovers, with the San Diego Padres and San Diego Wave FC seasons starting, as well as music festivals such as Wonderfront and Gator by the Bay.”
Your fun San Diego dinner party fact
In 1985, a Bornean orangutan named Ken Allen successfully escaped his enclosure at the San Diego Zoo on three different occasions, spending his free time strolling around and looking at the other animals, sometimes taking one of his female companions along. Although zookeepers tried to catch him in the act of escaping, even donning costumes to look like tourists, Ken Allen wasn’t fooled, and finally the zoo was force to hired experienced rock climbers to analyze and adjust the finger and toe holds within the enclosure, costing the zoo $40,000 ($116,522.70 in 2024 dollars). Ken Allen's easygoing nature and ability to outwit his keepers made him a local legend with his own fan club, T-shirts, bumper stickers, and a song, "The Ballad of Ken Allen" written by local songwriter David Gersten.
Mary Beth Abateis a food, booze and travel freelance writer who hails from Chicago and has been eating and drinking her way around San Diego for nearly twenty years.
